On Saturday evening, we all went with S's parents and extended family to see a show on local folkloric dances called 'paloteos'.
Groups from all over Castilla y León performed, including one from Portugal. One of S's nephews was supposed to perform with his town's troupe, but he had injured himself a while back and was still unable to participate.
No one really knows where these dances came from, but according to the show's presenter, they think the tradition dates back to pre-Roman times and arose out of a need to train men to participate in battle. In fact, traditionally, these dances have been performed by men and only men. Only recently have troupe's started allowing women to participate, out of a need for bodies more than anything else.
Given the dances' male-only tradition, the costuming is deeply effeminate, but I feel like that's the way folkloric costume almost always is. Only the hyper-masculine can get away with engaging with feminine dress. In addition, the regional differences in music and movement are so subtle as to be almost unnoticeable.
It was really cool to see the different variations on a similar theme. And of course, it made me want to learn some of the dances!
Groups from all over Castilla y León performed, including one from Portugal. One of S's nephews was supposed to perform with his town's troupe, but he had injured himself a while back and was still unable to participate.
No one really knows where these dances came from, but according to the show's presenter, they think the tradition dates back to pre-Roman times and arose out of a need to train men to participate in battle. In fact, traditionally, these dances have been performed by men and only men. Only recently have troupe's started allowing women to participate, out of a need for bodies more than anything else.
Given the dances' male-only tradition, the costuming is deeply effeminate, but I feel like that's the way folkloric costume almost always is. Only the hyper-masculine can get away with engaging with feminine dress. In addition, the regional differences in music and movement are so subtle as to be almost unnoticeable.
It was really cool to see the different variations on a similar theme. And of course, it made me want to learn some of the dances!
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